The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Sigma 4.5mm F2.8 EX DC HSM Fisheye and the Nikon 17-35mm f2.8D ED-IF for their suitability to various photography scenarios:
Size and Weight Comparison
The size of a lens is a crucial factor to consider when comparing two lenses. Nikon 17-35mm f2.8D ED-IF is the longer of the two lenses at 106mm. The Sigma 4.5mm F2.8 EX DC HSM Fisheye with a length of 78mm, is 28mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Nikon 17-35mm f2.8D ED-IF also has a larger diameter of 83mm compared to the Sigma 4.5mm F2.8 EX DC HSM Fisheye's 76mm diameter.
The weight of a lens is equally significant as its external dimensions, particularly if you intend to handhold your camera and lens combination for extended periods. Sigma 4.5mm F2.8 EX DC HSM Fisheye weighs 470g, which means it is 275g (36%) lighter than the Nikon 17-35mm f2.8D ED-IF which has a weight of 745g.
Lens Mounts
The Sigma 4.5mm F2.8 EX DC HSM Fisheye has the Nikon F (DX) lens mount whereas the Nikon 17-35mm f2.8D ED-IF has the Nikon F (FX) lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with these mounts are Nikon D3500, Nikon D7500 and Nikon D5600 for the Nikon F (DX) Mount and Nikon D6, Nikon D780 and Nikon D3500 for the Nikon F (FX) Mount.
Sigma 4.5mm F2.8 EX DC HSM Fisheye is also available in the Canon EF and Sigma SA mounts.
Focal Range
Sigma 4.5mm F2.8 EX DC HSM Fisheye is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 5mm which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of
7.5mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.
On the other hand, the Nikon 17-35mm f2.8D ED-IF has a focal range of 17-35mm and 2.1X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 25.5 - 52.5mm.
